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When your heart starts running a marathon when you're around them, you know it's over.
Maybe it'll be fleeting. Maybe it'll fizzle out with time, or distance.
Or maybe it will consume you. Maybe it'll make every moment with them, every touch feel like baking soda being poured steadily into your vinegar heart. Maybe the inevitable reaction will be contained, located to a safe place and explode without a sound, because was there even noise if there was no one to hear it? It could be ignored, it could be as inconsequential as a tree falling in a forest millions upon millions of miles away.
Or maybe it'll explode right where it can be seen and heard, begging to be acknowledged. Maybe the walls will be plastered in the aftermath, the reaction stubbornly staining anything it gets its grasp on. Maybe a few things will break from the impact. Maybe those things can't be fixed.
Izuku had never been the luckiest person. Neither has Shouto. The cards they have been dealt have led to complication after complication after near death experience after complication. It would serve to presume that the same misfortune would fall upon any romantic endeavors they pursued.
In some sense, that presumption proved correct. Although no romantic relationship ever fully formed out of any of the beginnings, the results seemed like common sense; Izuku was destined to love and be unlovable, and Shouto was destined to be trapped in an arrangement devoid of love.
But somehow, in some miracle, they dodged the doomed card in that area. At least this time. And now they were going to go on a real date, a first date, with each other.
Somehow, the reactions of their respective hearts made a splash that mixed so perfectly, in such a synchronized manner that they were able to get to this point. They ended up with a chance to be with each other, with the choice to take it – and who could reject an offer so sweet?
Regardless of all the heartache and pain in the past, they had managed to forge their own paths into the futures they wanted, a feat that appeared impossible not too long ago. And now, they were doing the same, making their paths intersect in a way neither of them would have predicted just a year before.
They have come so far, and there was even more to go through together, and this date would be one of many milestones. To say the absolute least, it was hard not to be excited!
~~~~~~
Izuku was nervous.
He was excited, yes, but so freaking nervous. What if Shouto realized he made a mistake by asking him out? What if it was just like that time in middle school, when he was asked out as a joke, which he should've seen coming, because who'd wanna date the quirkless kid–
Shouto didn't know he was quirkless once, but what if it was all some big joke again?
No. Shouto wasn't cruel, unlike Izuku's past classmates. Shouto was a sweetheart, through his initial deceivingly cold exterior. He wouldn't hurt anyone in such a manner, and it would be irrational and honestly rude to think otherwise.
But fear is irrational, so although the thought eased him a bit, he still felt the rapid beat of his heart and the light nausea derived from the thought of all his inadequacies that could ruin his chances with the boy of his dreams.
Did he dress too informal? They were going to a small restaurant that they had decided on together, and he wore a flannel with some jeans and a light jacket to accommodate the weather. What if Shouto thought he was taking their relationship too casually? What if he wasn't dressed informally enough? Izuku was the one who pitched the idea of going on a date, what if Shouto was just going out of pity, or to let him down there?
Dear All Might, he was such a mess. He reminded himself to remember the things he had learned from the many hours of research on dating he had done. Be cool. Be chill. It's not a big deal.
But it was a big deal, wasn't it? He's going on a date with Shouto. Shouto. Of course it was a big deal. What if he messed up? What if he does something stupid, like spill something on himself, or worse, on Shouto? What if he brings up a touchy, painful memory by accident?
Really, what if he wasn’t good enough for him?
Many similar thoughts ran around in his head as he went up to Shouto's dorm. As he exited the elevator, each step closer to Shouto’s door circulated more and more anxiety through his entire system. Once he stood in front of the door, he stayed there for a minute, composing himself best as he could, before knocking.
His foot was tapping incessantly, thumbs twiddling, and he could feel himself sweating. He forced himself to stop the repetitive motions, and wait still, like a normal person waiting for their date at the door. The result was his hands fisted at his sides and a posture that was probably a little too straight, eyes downcast and wide.
A few more seconds passed, and he started to worry. What if Shouto had changed his mind? What if he was on the other side of the door, praying for him to leave? Or even worse, what if he was in danger? What if a villain has taken him? What if-
He heard the door creak open, and he quickly snapped his head up. The very second he saw him, every doubt, every fear and worry died in his mind, and was replaced with awe as he took in his beautiful date standing in the doorframe.
Shouto's near shoulder-length hair was styled in a small, low bun and his lips were just slightly glossier than usual – ever so perfect and kissable. His bangs were styled to the left, delicately covering the top most of his scar. Both articles of clothing, his royal blue turtleneck and grey pants, formed almost entirely to the shape of his body. But the real kicker, the real main event, was the almost shy look on Todoroki Shouto's face.
Shouto was biting his lip, although just barely, and his eyes were now looking to the side, having been on Izuku just a few seconds ago. He then switched from biting to running his tongue between his lips, licking them softly. Izuku followed the motion tentatively for the few seconds it was present, and gulped once his tongue disappeared back into his mouth, leaving his lovely lips for Izuku to admire and wish he was kissing.
Shouto, however, seemed to cringe, and shudder a bit after the gesture.
Shouto was fidgeting with his fingers, an often utilized alternative to the more problematic scratching at his scar, and his cheeks were lightly dusted with pink, a shade Izuku couldn't pin as artificial or natural.
He then seemed to take a breath, and lifted his eyes to meet Izuku's.
"You look good. Really good," Shouto said, probably staring straight into his soul judging by the intensity of his gaze. Izuku could see the pink on his cheeks grow darker, just as the heat on his own face became far more apparent.
Izuku was not freaking out.
Definitely not.
Of course he wasn't.
He's calm, cool, and collected. Completely fine. Utterly content.
Peachy.
…
Okay, maybe he was freaking out, but only a tiny bit.
Could he be blamed? Shouto, arguably the most visually stunning and downright beautiful person in Class 2-A, (no he was not biased,) just complimented him on how he looked. Okay, it wasn't the first time, and hopefully won't be the last, but that didn't change the pace of his racing heart. Shouto was just so cute and hot and amazing and he still hasn't responded comeonIzukugetittogether–!
"T-thanks! Thank you! Uhm, you look really, really, good, like, extraordinarily gorgeous good! And, uh, well – you're adorable, too! I mean. You kind of looked a bit nervous and I'm glad I'm not the only one nervous, unless you actually aren't nervous but if you are you look really cute when you're nervous, b-but also when you're not nervous! Although I wouldn't know whether you are or not and I wouldn't want to assume, but either way you're super cute, and sorry I'm rambling, I really hope I'm not ruining this! Haha,” Izuku said, words quickening and lowering to a mutter as he trailed off. “I should really stop talking right about now."
Izuku grimaced. Shouto blinked, eyes wide and a little surprised, but soon huffed fondly.
"I am a little…nervous, too. And I don't think you could ever ruin anything, Izuku."
Oh, and that.
They had started using their first names when they confessed and onwards, and sometimes when Shouto said it it just did things to him. It was probably not good for his heart, but there was no way in hell he was going to ask Shouto to stop. Shouto, however, appeared relatively unaware of the effect it had on him; or the effect he had on him by existing.
"A-ah, good to know. Uh. Shall we go getting? Er- get going! Haha."
Damn it. He just had to be bad at words, didn't he? How come he could go on for hours on All Might history without missing a beat, deliver flawless speeches about heroism on a whim, but mess up asking his date if he's ready to go?
Shouto didn't seem fazed whatsoever by his mess up. Instead, he smiled.
"We shall," Shouto said. He stood there awkwardly for a moment, before reaching out his hand. Shouto stared fiercely into Izuku's eyes once more, a confident look with a hint of caution hiding behind it adorning his slightly flushed face.
"Please allow me to hold your hand."
Izuku stood there, unmoving, in a mild state of shock.
Shouto's awkward confidence made his heart feel so full, and wow he really wanted to kiss him.
Shouto faltered after Izuku provided no response, and started to draw his hand back, his head low. The dejected look on his face made Izuku's full heart shatter into a million pieces.
Before Shouto could fully draw back, Izuku caught his hand, and pulled it forward lightly. He mustered up a bright smile.
"I'd love to hold hands, Shouto!"
The small smile that formed after Shouto's initial surprise turned the million shards of his heart into a million butterflies, fluttering around his ribcage and making him feel so much lighter than he was just a few minutes ago.
~~~~~~
Shouto wanted this to go well. Being in a relationship with Izuku would be an actual dream come true.
He has dreamt about it more than is necessary to disclose.
He had avidly done his research, confided in his friends and siblings, and even talked to his mother about it this morning. Any help in regards to this was desired and appreciated, as honestly, he had no idea what he was doing when left to his own devices.
Yaomomo had helped him style his hair, covering the top of his scar as per his request despite her own opposition to it, and was the one who glossed his lips. It was a bit uncomfortable having the goopy substance on there, but he found it was less unpleasant when he didn't think about it.
Izuku had stared at his lips, and Yaomomo said that reaction would be positive – meaning that Izuku would be interested in kissing him, she clarified. He's hoping that's true. Then again, Izuku had stared at him a lot after he opened the door, so maybe he was just processing the different look. He overall preferred less form-fitting clothes, so wearing something even a little snug was new. Natsuo had helped him select it, saying it suited him.
But Izuku did say he looked gorgeous. And adorable. And cute. Definitely a positive.
Fuyumi had told him eye contact was important, and it was romantic when two people stared deep into each other's eyes. Apparently it showed your interest in them. He could understand that; sometimes he got lost in Izuku's eyes. He didn't know why, but at times their eye contact felt personal. Intimate, even, if that was the right word. He made sure to make more eye contact than usual.
The eye contact thing was corroborated by his reading of the 'How to flirt' wikihow article. It was very informative. Offering compliments and smiling were listed, so he'll be sure to find ample time to praise Izuku, as he rightfully deserved to be.
Smiling also won't be a problem, because being around Izuku always made him smile.
The article also highlighted touch, something Natsuo also touched on while they were shopping. Physical touch showed interest as well, so by holding his hand, Shouto is hoping Izuku will know he is very interested in him.
He also kind of wanted to kiss Izuku. He wanted to be subtle about it too, though, since subtly seemed to be a common tactic in the realm of flirting. Lots of flirting relied heavily on implications, and it seemed to be a common way of initiating further courting.
Yaomomo told him the gloss would help him to get a kiss. The article said licking or biting your lip would help; he ran it by Yaomomo and she agreed with that consensus. The article didn't specify anything about lip gloss, but he could guess by his earlier attempt that lip gloss and lip gestures should be done separately, discrediting his original assumption that doing both would give extra implication. He shivered at the reminder of the substance formerly on his tongue.
Touching your lips was also listed now that he thought about it. Maybe he could pursue that route if all else failed.
Overall, he needed to be prepared and fully stocked with ideas. He was at a disadvantage with his general lack of knowledge in dating, and the person he was courting turned that pitfall into a major issue.
Izuku was… everything. Astonishing, stunning, incredible, he could go on and on about all the adjectives to describe him. Anyone would be beyond lucky to be his partner, and so he had to impress him. He had to prove he'd be an amazing boyfriend. If all went well, he could earn a second date.
He couldn't find the exact amount of dates needed until boyfriend status was given online ('it depends,' 'do what feels best,' 'not all relationships are the same,' how is any of that supposed to help him?) so he was determined to wow Izuku whenever he could. The more points he earned, the better.
So far, the walk to the restaurant had been mostly quiet. It was both nice and unnerving. Occasionally, he could hear Izuku's near silent mutters. Something about dessert. Whenever he would chime in, Izuku would perk up, shrink in on himself, and answer shyly. Usually Izuku muttered louder than the volume he was using, even in public. Shouto liked Izuku's muttering, and has voiced that opinion many times, so it made him a bit sad to see him so closed off.
He hoped he was doing everything right. This whole concept, dating, relationships, romantic love, it was all so foreign to him. It was hard to trust in his choices, and even harder to execute them – how could it not be, in such an unknown territory? There were no precedent to any of this on his part. He had never even thought he’d get the chance to truly date someone. As a result of this, in a small, hidden crevice of himself there was quite a lot of fear at the concept.
It was something he hated to admit. Something he wouldn't admit. But really, he wouldn't need to anyway; because in spite of the fear, he knows that as long as Izuku was with him, everything would be alright.
Izuku has always helped him see things clearer, and has always been there as a light in the dark, guiding him. He trusts him more than he can really rationalize or comprehend. And although these feelings, the love, the want, the unwavering faith he puts in Izuku also scared him a bit, the fact that it's Izuku that he's entrusting these feelings with will never cease to console him.
But what does Izuku think of him? He wants to be just as important to Izuku as he is to him. He wants to reciprocate the same affection and compassion he has been given. He wants to be an outstanding boyfriend, someone Izuku will forever be able to rely on.
And so his thoughts strayed to something everyone he asked for advice would say once they finished giving initial advice. It was probably meant to be uplifting – but then why did dread fill his stomach when thinking about it?
Everytime, without fail, there would always be some variation of 'be yourself.' This led to one question, one single thought that sent a ball rolling in the pit of his stomach-
What if ‘himself’ wasn't good enough?
He wouldn't be surprised. How could he ever repay or compare to how Izuku practically changed the trajectory of his life? How could he ever express the things that Izuku simply existing did to his heart? The fullness, the stutters, the racing and–
Shouto felt a squeeze on his hand. He looked to the side, and found Izuku blushing, looking back at him fiercely and smiling.
"You're incredible, Shouto."
Shouto stared, dumbfounded for a moment and touched by the words. Izuku stammered and diverted his gaze, and nearly tripped over his feet, causing Shouto to lose some balance too. The both of them just barely kept from falling on their faces.
"Ah- sorry, sorry! I wasn't paying attention. I, uh, just thought you looked a little sad and I thought it was a great time to compliment you. Clearly I should've waited till we stopped moving, or at least paid attention to my legs." Izuku laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand.
Shouto took a second to process, but in time couldn't help himself. It started as a few giggles, and soon it turned into barely concealed light laughter, restrained (and strained) only by habit. Soon enough, Izuku joined in, laughing at the near fall moments before.
It wasn't mean-spirited laughter at all. Izuku was just such a… what was the word Uraraka used? Dork. Izuku was a dork. An adorable dork. Adorkable, even.
“Adorkable.” That seemed about right.
"What was that?"
Oh. He had said that out loud. Shit.
"Nothing. Thank you, Izuku. You're incredible too."
Izuku smiled, and all his worries were carried away by the afternoon breeze.
~~~~~~
Everything was working out, and their date has had no hiccups so far. It wasn't much different from the times they hung out as friends, excluding the hand holding and long, heavy gazes and overall closeness.
Their food had just come in, and they were both munching on their respective meals. Izuku had ordered the beef udon, and Shouto, ever the rountinest, ordered cold soba.
Shouto looked over to Izuku's food. "Looks good. Not as good as cold soba, but good."
Izuku playfully glared at Shouto. He finished chewing his mouthful of udon, grabbing more but not moving the noodles to his lips. "You eat cold soba, like, every other day. Your taste buds are obviously strictly programmed so you have no right to speak."
Shouto simply shrugged, continuing to eat his soba. Izuku followed in kind, chewing and swallowing before looking over to Shouto quizzically.
“What other foods do you like, besides cold soba?”
Shouto thought silently for a moment. “Strawberry shortcake,” he vocalized, continuing to think. “and mochi, preferably strawberry. Strawberry milk, although I guess that’s a drink. Strawberry flavored things I guess. Rice is good too.”
“How about strawberry flavored rice?” Izuku questioned, a sly smile stretching along his face.
Shouto made a face at that, nose scrunched in disgust at the thought, leading to a fit of giggles from Izuku.
“That’s gross.”
“Well,” Izuku said, in between giggles, “you said you like strawberry flavored things.”
“Yes, but I meant reasonable strawberry flavored things. Not whatever ‘strawberry rice’ is, if that even exists. I hope it doesn’t.”
"C'mon, Shouto! Who knows, maybe strawberry rice will be the next big thing. Heck, you might even like it more than cold soba!”
“No.” Shouto deadpanned coldly, completely disgusted at the mere thought. He refused to believe his sanity would ever slip that low.
"I think you should give it a try. We could make it together, if you want. I'll even try it with you!" Izuku laughed, but he soon slowly faltered. "If you want to, that is. I just thought it would be fun and nice to do something like that, but it's silly-"
"Izuku."
"-and probably not a good idea in hindsight. Sorry. I keep digressing, huh?"
"I'd love to make strawberry rice with you. I'd love to do anything with you, good idea or not." Shouto smiled. It was a small smile, but it was genuine, just like all the other times he smiled around Izuku. "You're very endearing and I love everything about you. I'm always at my happiest when I'm around you, so I'd do nearly anything as long as I'm doing it with you."
That was a good compliment. At least he thought so. He hoped Izuku could gauge how much he cares about him from that.
Izuku, however, remained still. The lack of reaction was a bit worrying, but he made no move to say anything else. He carefully watched Izuku, who still hadn't moved; did he say something wrong? Did his compliment offend in some way…?
~~~~~~
Izuku was frozen, in complete shock. His face was a bright shade of red, and steam could've possibly been wafting off of him. Either way, he was going to either implode or cry a flood of tears in the next five seconds.
But before he could have an extreme, emotionally charged reaction, he noticed something.
Right there, just above Shouto's top lip, a bit of sauce was resting there nonchalantly. He stared at the area momentarily, but soon broke out of the trance and looked up to notice the red dusting Shouto's cheeks, a sight that made his heart pound.
He wanted to address it, but he knew there were other, more pressing matters to deal with, such as responding to the compliment he just received. But in the end, he knew that if he dared to open his mouth, he'd have no control on what came out.
So instead, he placed his index finger lightly on top of his lips, signifying where the sauce is. He prayed that Shouto would understand from there. He lowered his finger, dragging it down till it passed his bottom lip, then set his hand in his lap. His tongue ran over his lip for a second, and he pointedly looked away from his date.
~~~~~~
Shouto's temperature was rising by the second. This wasn't what he thought it was, was it?
Was Izuku subtly asking for a kiss?
He stared at him for a moment, looking into his eyes. What if he was interpreting this wrong?
No. The internet would never lie to him. This has to be a sign, a signal for action.
But how could he be sure?
For a slight moment, Izuku's eyes flicked down to Shouto's lips, before snapping up. The former's face turned pink.
This has to be an indicator for him to kiss Izuku. There's no way he could be mistaking it, right? Every single subtle gesture was performed. A part of himself argued that it could just be a coincidence, but another, louder part of him said otherwise.
So, putting his faith into Yaomomo and wikihow articles, (of which he was going to blame if this went wrong,) he leaned forward, giving Izuku ample time to back out if he pleased. Although Izuku was the one sending him the signals, so he felt as though this kiss was mutual.
But even then, there was a flash of uncertainty. This whole flirting thing wasn't working out for him, was it? Subtleties are the opposite of clear, and clear was what he needed right now. What if he kissed Izuku and it turns out he didn't want it? What then? That could completely destroy this entire date and any chance at a further relationship, not to mention their friendship.
So just before their lips touch, just two inches or so apart, he murmured a question to Izuku, eyes a little wide in panic.
"Can I kiss you?"
~~~~~~
Izuku was a flustered, panicking mess. His heart was racing faster than it does in a fight, and he was sweating more than he felt he should be. Despite this, he was nearly frozen in place. This all had to be a dream. There's no way Shouto just asked if he could kiss him.
Or maybe there was. They were on a date, it wasn't too out of the ordinary to kiss during these.
Dream or not, (hopefully not) he wasn't going to pass up an opportunity like this. However, his vocal cords were still failing on him.
It took a lot to bring a single word from his mouth. A lot more than he'd like to admit. But after opening and closing his mouth a few times, he gulped, and choked out a 'yes.'
A second after he confirmed, he felt the press of lips against his own. The first thing he noticed was how soft Shouto's lips are, almost making him a bit insecure about his own slightly chapped lips. His eyes fluttered shut, as he relaxed into the moment, despite the slightly awkward angle with the table between them. He could feel the faint traces of gloss on Shouto's lips; and he realized it smelled like strawberry. He had to stop himself from grinning at that fact.
The kiss lasted for a solid six seconds, if Izuku's counting was correct, before Shouto reluctantly pulled away, sauce still visible above his lip. But he ignored that in favor of saying, "That was nice. Really nice."
"Yeah."
They stared at each other for a moment. Izuku battled in his mind before working up the confidence to move forward in this interaction.
Izuku grabbed a napkin. "But uh, there was something- there." He lifted the napkin up, and wiped off the sauce.
"Oh," Shouto murmured, looking away, embarrassed. "Sorry."
"No need to apologize! Ah- the kiss was still amazing! But uh…"
Shouto looked back at him, confused, evident by the way his head tilted slightly. Izuku's heart squeezed.
"L-like I said, it was amazing, but if you want to do it again, I wouldn't be… opposed."
Shouto blinked, and the most adorable blush Izuku has ever seen displayed itself over his cheeks.
"I'd like that."
This time, wanting to take initiative, Izuku leaned in first. However, it was Shouto that moved forward, filling the small space between them.
This kiss lasted a bit longer, if only by a few seconds. By the time they pulled apart, Izuku was so dopey that he could be convinced Shouto's lips had drugged him. It wouldn't be a surprise, either, because it was a near addictive feeling having Shouto's lips against his own.
"Do you want to get ice cream after this?" Izuku blurted out, his mouth clamping shut the second after the words escaped him.
"Yeah. I think that'd be nice."
"Cool, cool."
Izuku noticed Shouto's right hand, resting on the table. Well, resting wasn’t the right word; restless, instead, suited the state of his hand far better. It was subtle, the way he rubbed his index finger against his thumb, but he caught it nonetheless.
Okay. Okay, he thought, he just kissed Shouto. On the lips. Twice. They held hands on the way here. Just hold his hand, Izuku. Come on. Just put your hand on his.
Hesitantly, he lifted his hand and placed it on Shouto's. He noticed the temperature difference right away, and it made his heart pound.
Shouto stopped his motions and glanced at him, head tilted with the sweetest blush still on his cheeks, and Izuku might've internally combusted then and there because how could one person be so cute?
And really, that was also the moment he realized that this wasn't too different from when they usually hung out. This wasn't as scary or new as he thought it'd be.
Well… not as much anyway.
Sure, there were new aspects; but overall? It was just spending time with Shouto. Except now he got to hold his hand. And kiss him. And unashamedly admire the blush that spreads on his face.
Okay, definitely new, but also a new that he very much approved of.
So, with a newfound confidence, he more firmly gripped Shouto's hand, giving it a light squeeze. After taking another moment to fully absorb Shouto through his gaze, he smiled and watched gleefully at the way Shouto turned his head, averting his eyes, as the blush on his cheeks spread farther along the planes and slopes of his face.
Shouto made him an absolute mess, so it was both funny and endearing to see the tables turned, even just a little. He then remembered what Shouto said earlier. It was something he was originally going to hold in his heart in secret, but now more than ever it seemed like an applicable time for the word.
“You know, you're the adorkable one.”
Shouto snapped his head back to him, lips just barely parted and eyes wide and lord would Izuku like to kiss him again. Instead, he took another bite of his udon.
“You heard that?”
Izuku’s lips curved into a small smirk. “Well, I wasn't sure, but this confirms it for me.”
He noticed a significant drop in temperature of the already cold hand he was holding. Shouto grimaced, and Izuku had to fight the urge to laugh at how cute he looked, which he was currently failing at. It only caused Shouto to turn his grimace into a pout, which was even harder to keep from laughing about.
“Stop laughing at me.”
“I'm not laughing at you!” Izuku defended, “You're just so cute, you know that? Ugh, I just want to kiss you all over–”
Izuku paused. He knows he's on a date and all, but still, so openly saying something like that? His face flushed, and he stammered out, “I mean. Uh. I-I didn't– hmm.” How does he backtrack from this? Or does he just move on from it?
Damn it. Why must he be so skilled at fumbling?
Shouto's face settled in a neutral state, but a bit of pink returned to it. As Izuku continued to flounder, however, Shouto started to laugh a little. Damn, he just had the upper hand–
“I think you're the cute one, actually. And you can kiss me all over anytime.”
Izuku was going to die. Okay, maybe this date was a bad idea. He didn't know how much more of this he could take before his heart sprung out of his body or his brain short-circuited permanently.
But his brain must still be working, in some small Shouto-addled way, because he imagined kissing Shouto's cheeks, his lips, his hands, his neck–
Shouto spoke up again. “...Well, you can, as long as I can kiss you all over too.”
A flash of green lit up his body, and he heard one of the chopsticks in his hand snap before he felt it.
He also heard Shouto laughing. It deepened the already widespread and bright flush on his face, ears, and probably neck at this point.
After a few more moments, he remembered to breathe, and then once he was sure he could actually speak instead of choking out various embarrassed sounds and squeaks, he said:
“Y-you can't just… say stuff like that, Shouto!” Though this was a rather large blow to his dignity, he was at least proud of the way his voice was only one octave above normal.
“You said it first.”
“That's– you–” Izuku groaned. He didn't really have a comeback to that.
Shouto wordlessly pulled his hand away, took and set aside the broken chopstick from his grip, wiped off one of his own, and placed it in Izuku's hand. Then, after a little nod, he created another chopstick out of ice and continued to eat.
Izuku tried not to focus on the fact that the chopstick he's about to use had been in Shouto's mouth (they've kissed now, but they haven't tongue kissed. Oh lord, kissing Shouto with tongue?? What would that feel like? Holy hell he wanted–) nor the pride in seeing how Shouto has figured out how to use his ice to create specific objects, and instead resumed eating as well.
They sat like that for a while, finishing up their meals, and Izuku was happy. He was so, so happy. For the most part, this has been going great! Which was more than he can say about a good amount of things he has experienced. Sure, it was a bit awkward at the start, but things started to become familiar again and it's only been working for the best!
He could only hope Shouto felt the same way about this.
Izuku contemplated for a moment, a light blush on his cheeks, before saying in a low, sincere tone, “I really like you, Shouto.”
Shouto looked up and stared at him for a moment, finishing slurping the noodles that were halfway in his mouth, and he smiled.
“I like you more. Even if you were being mean to me earlier.”
Izuku squawked. “I was not being mean to you! And h-how do you know that I don't like you more?”
“You were laughing at me.”
“YOU LAUGHED AT ME TOO!”
“Yes, but that was your fault.”
“This isn't fair. This isn't fair at all.” Izuku took the final bite of the noodles in his udon, and lifted the bowl to drink the broth, pointedly glaring at Shouto.
Shouto, who simply slurped away, almost done with his soba, met his glare with an unbothered gaze.
Shouto finished first, and paid for the meal. They had already determined (read: argued) who would be paying, and Shouto managed to win out by saying that it would go on his dad's card.
After paying, Shouto gazed at Izuku, who had also finished. They were simply just looking at each other for a while, before Shouto spoke up.
“I think that I like you more.”
Before Izuku could argue, Shouto stood, going to him and pressing a kiss on his cheek.
“Let's go get ice cream.” Shouto tugged on his arm once he stood up.
Okay. That kiss was definitely so he wouldn't argue with him. But he could let it slide, just this once.
~~~~~~
Shouto was ecstatic.
This has been going great. Surely he had earned more than enough points for Izuku to consider a second date, maybe even a third! Wikihow and everyone he knew hadn’t lied to him! If things kept going like this, he’d be Izuku’s boyfriend in no time!
He has to fight a smile as they walk to the nearest ice cream place. Knowing that Izuku wanted to “kiss him all over,” made his heart race. Hopefully that’s an activity that will take place in the future.
Even after hearing Izuku express that he liked him, Shouto still believed that he liked Izuku more. Liking Izuku was effortless – like breathing, possibly easier. It was incredibly hard to not do, really.
Izuku most literally changed his life, after all. It was kind of hard not to love him at least a little after that.
Oh.
Love.
On a surface level, he knew he loved Izuku. Maybe not in the way that they wax poetry about, or perform in movies; at least, not yet, not to its fullest. As of now, it was hard to say that he knew that kind love, despite feeling it, feeling the longing and heartache and joy. Instead, it's more like he and this love have just met; it was all still so new, but it was there. It's part of why they were on this date.
But he couldn't just say all that, could he?
In every article and social media thread he read, it was advised against expressing such bold feelings so early on. And honestly, even though he knows of this feeling, he doesn't know if he could say it out loud, much less to Izuku. He doesn't even fully understand it yet, nor how far it extends.
Regardless, he hoped the feeling would extend far – and he hoped Izuku felt the same, or could, some day. It would be a privilege of the highest honor, just to have Izuku as his. To be the one by his side in this way unwaveringly. To be the one Izuku looks to in his darkest and happiest moments, to be the one that gets to see every part, every piece down to the very last atom of Izuku – and to open himself to that same vulnerability.
Even if that doesn’t end up being the case, he doesn't think there is a world in which he could ever stop loving Izuku. He doesn't think there's a way to numb the part that longs to be around him, like a moth to a flame. He’s rather sure that for as long as he continues breathing, some part of Shouto will always love Izuku.
As they walk, he heard Izuku muttering to himself and felt the warmth of his hand in his. The slight wind tassels his hair lightly and Shouto has nowhere in the world he'd rather be.
~~~~~~
“Vanilla? What happened to your love of strawberries?”
“I am capable of variety, contrary to popular belief.” The truth was that the strawberry lip gloss had put him off strawberry flavors for the day, but that didn't need to be known.
They had gotten their ice cream, and found a bench to sit on near a tree. Luckily, the wind blew in a way that kept the falling leaves from landing into their desserts. It was a nice temperature outside, and Shouto especially liked the angle of the sun from here, as it highlighted Izuku’s freckles.
“You had me fooled, I thought for sure you'd get strawberry!” Izuku licked at his own ice cream cone, glancing at Shouto's cup. “Why vanilla?”
“Why not vanilla?”
“I don't know. I mean, it's a super popular flavor overall,” Izuku said, momentarily pausing to take another lick. “Personally, I like the more obscure flavors. They're fun little surprises, and almost never out of stock!”
Shouto eyed Izuku's cup. There were chunks of what looked like chocolate and the ice cream took on a modestly colored swirled mix of red and blue, which was slowly melting together and phasing into a mild indigo.
Curious, he leaned in a little closer to Izuku to see it better. He flicked his eyes up to see Izuku watching him with wide eyes. Izuku looked cute; which inspired an urge to kiss him within Shouto.
“Can I try your ice cream?”
“Uh–” Izuku startled, but seemed to resettle himself after a few blinks. “–sure, yeah, of course!”
Izuku jerked his hand forward, bringing the cone close to Shouto, at an angle that would be awkward to attempt to use his spoon. It was no issue, though – he bent his head down a little and licked the ice cream.
A soft wheezing sound came from Izuku's general direction, but he was currently too preoccupied to address it. His nose scrunched, then unscrunched, as he chewed the small chunks of chocolate and processed the flavor. He then swallowed the ice cream, but the faint taste of it remained; it was both sour and sweet, creamy and smooth. Overall, the experience left him utterly perplexed and a bit indecisive on his feelings about it.
“The flavor is confusing me,” Shouto said, squinting down at the cone.
The only response he received was muffled laughter a few seconds later. He fought a pout at the fact Izuku was laughing at him again, and instead opted to enjoy the near musical sound of it.
Izuku explained that it was a raspberry and blueberry mix, with small chunks of chocolate. Shouto unfortunately didn't catch everything else that he said, but only because he couldn't help but get lost in admiring Izuku's smiling face. His heartbeat pounded heavily, and he knew one thing for sure: he wanted to make Izuku smile like this again.
~~~~~~
It was around six PM when they had gotten back to the dorms. Neither of them seemed to want to end things there, so they stayed in Izuku's room.
When they had returned, they found some of their friends in the common area. Most waved to them, and Uraraka had given him a sly smile after seeing their interlocked hands. Izuku turned away from her after that, but smiled as he heard her laughing.
Once they reached his room, they had watched a movie, and now they were sitting in silence as the credits started to roll, snuggled up on Izuku's bed.
This moment has Izuku wondering what he was so stressed about. This day has been incredible, and now they're here, in a familiar place and situation and everything feels right. How could it not, after all, with Shouto pressed next to him, looking so soft and pretty from the glow of the laptop's dim light on him? His steady breaths guiding his own, and his warmth practically engulfing him?
Paradise was the only way to really describe it.
It was only when the credits finished and Izuku went to navigate elsewhere on the laptop that he saw that Shouto had fallen asleep. His soft snores came and went every few seconds, and he looked so peaceful, eyes shut and mouth slightly agape, breaths coming out at a slower pace now. Izuku’s heart squeezed, and he couldn’t help but just stare at Shouto.
He really wasn’t lying earlier. More than ever Izuku felt the urge to kiss him all over – his forehead, his cheeks, his nose and chin and lips and hands and hair. He wanted to hold him close to his heart, and never let go. He wanted to protect him from anything and everything that would dare to disturb the peace that he had now, so he could forever live in such tranquility.
He wanted to be Shouto’s hero. He wanted him to know that he–
That he…
Ah.
He loved Shouto.
Honestly, it shouldn't be a surprise. Because of course, yeah, he thought that Shouto was an incredible and kind person, he found him pretty, and he wanted to be in his presence probably a bit too much. But then again, those feelings – they could be written off, ignored to an extent. Encapsulated with words like “like” or “admire”.
Now, with a conviction he couldn’t quite place the origin of, he knew that he loved Shouto. He loved Shouto in the way that was said to be written in the stars, in the way that surpassed heartbreak and death. He loved Shouto in the way that consumed, in the way that was irrational and powerful and maybe even truly unknowable.
Tears welled in Izuku’s eyes. He didn’t really know why, but this epiphany combined with Shouto’s sleeping, beautiful face just made him want to cry. The emotions he felt were just so heavy, he guessed.
And at this realization, new questions ran around restlessly in his mind: What does he do with this love? Does Shouto feel the same? Could Shouto feel the same one day?
He really wanted Shouto to feel the same. But even if that didn’t end up happening, he wanted Shouto in his life. He wanted to give him this love, if he would accept it. He just hoped that the weight of these feelings wouldn’t be too heavy for him to hold. But even if Shouto accepted these feelings, when would that be? When would Izuku even tell him? And all of that was only in the future. Where do they go from here? From right here, right now?
After what seemed like an eternity of thought, which most likely only amounted to a minute or two, where he listened to the sound of Shouto’s breathing and felt the faint vibrations of Shouto’s heartbeat, he finally reached a satisfactory conclusion.
Gently, ever so gently, he leaned over and pressed a soft kiss onto the top of Shouto’s head, resisting the desire to leave more. Blinking away the tears, he slowly closed the laptop, and snuggled a little closer to Shouto, finally lying down and letting his eyelids droop. In the dark like this, he couldn’t fully see Shouto, but he could make out the outline of his figure.
If Shouto agreed to it, he would like to officially be his boyfriend, (the thought made him giddy, and he couldn't help but smile an optimistic smile to himself) and from there, he’d figure it out. They’d figure it out. As the clocks kept turning and the future kept becoming the present, he hoped that they would continue to explore all the possibilities of what they both could be; and what they could be, together.